Man jailed after allegedly cashing bad checks at Carson City casino
A 37-year-old man was arrested Wednesday and faces felony burglary and forgery charges after allegedly attempting to write bad checks at a casino and other locations, a Carson City sheriff’s deputy said.
Christopher James Morris, listed as a transient, was arrested at 9:25 p.m. in the 500 block of North Carson Street. According to the arrest report, a deputy was dispatched to the casino for a report of a fraud in progress. As deputies arrived the suspect had been detained. Officers learned two checks from an account that had been closed for two years had been cashed by the suspect in a prior incident.
On Wednesday, the suspect returned to the casino, attempting to cash a third check from the same account. The man’s name had been flagged by the casino and when he tried to cash the check staff knew it was fraudulent, the arrest report states.
Morris was read his Miranda rights, which he waived and said he wished to talk. He said he met a woman at a Sparks casino who gave him the checks to cash, where he would earn $50 for each check cashed. He said the woman who gave him the checks said she couldn’t cash them herself because she did not have identification.
Morris continued saying a man with the woman told him if he didn’t cash the checks he would get hit with a pipe. Morris denied that he knew the checks were written on a closed account, the arrest report states.
Deputies learned that Morris had cashed a check at a grocery store in the 500 block of East William Street and two more at the casino on Feb. 19. Morris also said that he had cashed checks at a Reno grocery store and a Money Tree store.
In total Morris had four checks on his person for varying amounts to him that were ready to be cashed. The check amounts were for $1,437, $533, $588, and $325. Copies of checks obtained at the Carson City casino showed checks were in his name for $535 and $764.52, according to the arrest report.
Morris was placed into custody for suspicion of burglary and uttering a forged instrument. Bail: $30,000.
In other bookings:
— A 27-year-old Carson City man was arrested Wednesday, 10 p.m. in a parking lot of a grocery store off of Woodside Drive for felony suspicion of providing false information to avoid prosecution and five misdemeanors, a Carson City sheriff’s deputy said.
Robert Joseph Leon also faces misdemeanor charges of failure to obey a traffic control device, no proof of insurance, no valid driver’s license and two contempt of court warrants issued out of Carson City Justice Court.
According to the arrest report, a deputy observed the man driving and failing to stop at a posted stop sign. The officer initiated the traffic stop on the SUV, and made contact with the driver, who identified himself in what turned out to be a false name and date of birth. A female passenger was also in the vehicle and provided correct identification.
The man said he did not have his Nevada driver’s license and didn’t know any of his Social Security numbers. He told the officer he had bought the vehicle three weeks prior and the previous owner still has the vehicle registered and insured to him. The man said he didn’t have any proof of insurance with him but that he should be covered. The man provided the deputy with a signed title to the vehicle showing that it was sold, the arrest report states.
The deputy ran the name of the suspect but could not come back with anyone with the name. He was asked his birthday again, and grew nervous, going back forth as to whether he was born in 1988 or 1989. When the officer asked him how old his is, the man replied he’s in his late 20s, the arrest report states. Upon further investigation, the officer ran the name of the vehicle purchaser, Robert J. Leon. Dispatch advised he had two misdemeanor warrants for contempt of court out of Carson City and only has a Nevada identification card. Dispatch sent the deputy the man’s booking photo on file which matched the driver.
During the drive to the detention center the man began talking, apologized for lying and using the name of a family member. He asked the deputy if he would “go easy” on him and not charge him for providing false information, the arrest report states. The deputy told the man he would have to explain himself to the judge. Bail: $12,160.
— A 45-year-old Carson City man was arrested early Thursday morning in the 5000 block of South Carson Street for misdemeanor suspicion of domestic battery. According to the arrest report, deputies responded to a location and met with the victim who was bleeding profusely from her nose, mouth and had a small laceration above her eye.
Deputies canvassed the area looking for the suspect and found him parked on the south side of a South Carson Street casino. Deputies collected statements from the suspect who said the woman fell in the bathroom causing the injury to her face. Investigating deputies said there wasn’t evidence or signs the woman had fallen and injured her face in the bathroom. The man was arrested for suspicion of domestic battery. $1,137.
— A 47-year-old Carson City man was booked into jail Wednesday, 1:48 p.m. for a misdemeanor failure to appear traffic warrant issued Jan. 26, 2018 out of Canal Township Justice Court, Fernley. Bail: $950.
All information for the crime log (unless otherwise noted) comes from the arrest reports supplied by the Carson City Sheriff's Office, and is considered by law to be public information. All subjects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The policy of Carson Now is to name anyone who is arrested for a felony offense.
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